Hi I'm Grant the Polite Guy and I was homeless for about a year and a half. So much has happened since then. I write here to help bring homeless awareness looking at the world through a homeless person's point of view.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Well this one I have a sad a good and a proud story to tell. Ha ha Life is not meant to be all roses. Ha ha.

The sad.
I was talking to a vendor and he told me of what had happen the day before with a smile on his face. Ha ha.

This guy is really getting himself together and got a girlfriend and newly got a room in a lodge and working to really get on his feet. He went to Kelvin Grove to work and sold 20 magazines which makes him $50 profit plus tips which is really a great day. He was saying that he noticed a guy watching him most of the day working and was very weary of it.

He finished work and headed through a car-park when he was attacked from behind by the guy that watched him working. Now the vendor not willing to give his money up tried to cover himself as best as he could and yell for help. The good news is that two guys came running over and held the attacker down on the ground until police came.

Them two guys that helped are ( I don't think there's a word good enough. Ha ha) Ace's in my book. That vendor had worked hard all day to make them 20 sales and is really only trying to get on his feet faster but some well let's say a not nice person (ass-hole) thinks he'd sit back and watch and not work and take from someone else that did the hard work.

Now I feel very strong about this as I remember two guys watching me and attacking me after working and heading to get more stock. I think it's a cowards act to watch someone that's an easy target to earn money and then attack them to get it for free.

But to finish this story the attacker was held by the two guys until police came and charged him. But the best thing is the vendor kept all his money that he earnt and the two guys that helped well there's guys out there that I can be proud to know there out there.

I have seen and know this, People doing nothing and saying “nothing to do with me” is really only good people doing nothing which means bad people already win so why stop.

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The Good,

When working or talking to people I have been telling everyone about my collecting donated clothes for the homeless on Wednesday the 4th next week before 9am for Micah to hand out to the homelessness. I have gotten such a good response from people saying they would bring items in I felt good to knowing I am putting together something that will help so many people.

So I'll mention it here again. Ha ha. On Wednesday the 4th I'm asking people to bring in clothes they don't use. I mean like I keep saying “before my accident I had a cupboard that had lot's of clothes I didn't like and never wore.” (mostly gifts from Christmas. Ha ha) So I'm asking if you have clothes that you will not wear and there still in good condition then please bring them to me before 9 am and I'll be very happy to hand them to Micah and they will give to those that need it.

Things needed the most is Blankets and warm clothes and of course clothes for them to go for job interviews.

I thank you for just looking for things you may be able to donate. If you live away from me and can't drop off to me then please still look and find a homeless centre in your area and give there. Knowing your doing a great thing is reward enough. Trust me it's a good feeling. Ha ha.

Me and Denise and David. Hey do I look good with a shirt and tie. haha

Never lose playing Bogan Bingo. Ha ha

The Proud,

I had me birthday party and I can say I was proud to see some of the people that came. I really thought I was on Top of the World not because people came to celebrate my birthday but the fact people wanted to take time to meet as an equal outside of work.

Ha ha here's where I get to brag. I felt like I was not just with equals but better then that, I was with mates. From when I became a Big Issue Vendor and not having good friends and now knowing such great people I can say I was proud to be me. I must say at one stage it almost brought a tear to my eyes.

So guys and girls please let me say “Thank you. It meant a lot to me.”

I know I have great friends that couldn't make it and I know things come up, it's all good. Now I will say after people started leaving some of the funniest things started happening. Ha ha These guys start playing Bogan Bingo which is normal bingo but using Heavy Metal music and sayings for the numbers. Ha ha noting I say could explain it right but I learnt one thing. Don't lose. Ha ha

Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day.
If you like my writing then please tell others as I love to share. Ha ha Or if you would like to there's a Donation Box to make donations which I use for myself and helping homelessness.
Grant the Polite Guy.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

I called the Call Centre job and very very politely said I love doing the job but I can't sit for long and things like I'm a good worker and won't let you down. They said to come in and talk and we can work something out. YES I got my job back and to start it's only about 16 hours a week so a few hours here and there. They are going to get me a chair that's good for bad backs and so that I could work that night they gave me one of there cushions from the office to put behind my back. Really what great people. I worked the 4 hour shift and beamed a smile knowing I was working again.

Sore when I finished but still beamed a smile walking home. I kept thinking about all the talks I had had with the managers there and then I remembered they do surveys at the Airport and Football matches. Bing that's standing and talking to people face to face I kept thinking why don't I ask to do that. Then I looked down and noticed what I was wearing. You see in the morning I had been working selling my magazines and I looked like a Big Issue Vendor not someone that I would send to represent my company. So if I wouldn't send me then I know other's wouldn't.

I got to my room and pulled out my nice clothes that I bought for doing job interviews and cleaned them up. Thinking I’m going to wear them tomorrow and show I can look the part and they already know I can talk well to people in person.

I got a call on my mobile from a guy I had helped a few weeks back after he smashed his phone at my feet because he was fighting with his girlfriend. He was dumped by his girlfriend again and started talking about him ending it, that life wasn't worth going on. I tell him not to be dumb and I'll catch a train to Cleveland and see him. I quickly put my nice clothes on and headed out there. Oh I looked good. Ha ha.

So there I was in Cleveland talking to this guy about how things will be okay and we sat by the water and then talked and I kept thinking this is a nice and romantic place, I have nice clothes on and I'm with this guy. Oh something wrong here. Ha ha I kept looking at the time and saying I will have to go about 1pm because I want to get into the city early to show and impress them with me being dressed up and to give me the Airport work.

Using the last of my money to buy drinks I said I have to go to the bank to get money which I knew I had $220 in there from saving a bit here and there for a bond to get a unit and out of my room. I got to the ATM and went to withdraw the money. It said not available. I tried again and it still didn't work. I did a balance and yes my money was there but it wouldn't let me take it out. I went into the bank and asked what was wrong.

The nice lady there checked her computer and pulled her phone over and started dial SPER. You see sleeping out it's easy to get fines and when your homeless and you get a fine, well you don't care because your already down enough it don't matter. Plus the guys giving out the fines keep there quota up and look good. Moving around a lot means they have no-where to send mail. But now I have a room and a job.

I talked to the nice lady on the phone and she says that the total is $5,000 plus ( I never got that many fines but if you don't pay them they add fees and if you don't pay them they add fees and so on. Ha ha) and they couldn't contact me so they put a hold on my account. I gave her my room address and said I need the hold lifted on my money to get to work. After talking and agreeing to make $100 per fortnight payments then she said they need one month up front. Fear racing in my mind now. That's $200 then I thought it's okay because I had $220 so that left me $20 to get to work and then I could sell my magazines in the morning. So I agreed. The lady says she'll send a fax to free the hold on my money and to have a nice day.

The lady in the bank gets the fax and tells me she is going to fax it to head office and get the hold off so I can get the $20. she comes back saying the head office may take up to 24 hours to lift the hold and there was nothing she could do. I will say she was nice about it.

The guy I came to help had no money and left quickly soon after. I thought it's okay I know a lot of people that would lend me money until tomorrow, but it'd do no good because I had money but the hold on my bank was still on and it didn't matter how much was in there I couldn’t touch it. I couldn't sell my magazines because I didn't have them with me.

I thought about asking people for the money to get to the city but I couldn't. I know I sell magazines on the streets and I do get tips but to me there's a difference because in a way I'm working and not begging. I called the Call Centre and said over and over that I'm a guy that wants a job more an anything but I can't get to work. They said they understood and I could work tonight instead.

I can say I felt like crap sitting around and waiting for the hold to come off my account and thinking about having a debt on $100 a fortnight. I remember some fines I got and them saying “it don’t matter they’ll put on it your homeless and you won’t hear about it again” while they were writing out the ticket. Ha ha. If only I knew now.

Don’t get me wrong I looked really look and no-one to impress. Ha ha. Well to finish my story I asked a customer to meet me after he finished work and he gave me a ride home. The next morning I could get my money out and I look forward to going to work tonight and showing them how good I can look if given the out-door work.

I thank you for reading my stories and if you like them please tell others. I hope to see you all at my Birthday Party at The Central Hotel on Ann St in the city on the 28th next week.

On the 4th of May before 9am I’m still asking people to bring clothes they don’t wear anymore so I can take them all to the Homeless Centre.

Thank you again for reading my blog. I hope you have a great day.
Grant the Polite Guy.

P.S To any and all homeless people that read this, Forget there Quota and get off the bench and leave say no ticket. Otherwise when you do get on your feet it comes back and bites you.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Meeting a lot of people everyday I see the good, the bad, the nasty and then there's people like Jess and Tim, there the kind of people that are always trying to do good and help others. I get phone calls from them when things are good so I can brag about life being great and calls when things are down and Jess reminds me that things can only get better and to keep going forward in life.

Now I remember telling Jess about my new room and I think she was more excited then me. Ha ha. But the first thing she said is I'd need bedding and things and said she would look around her house and pack things for me. Really what a great person.

I got a phone call yesterday saying she had a boot full of things for me for my room. I kept thinking oh-no my room is so small where would I keep it. But we set up a time for when I finished work and Jess and her husband Tim could come over and drop it off. I headed off to go do the couple of hours at the Call Centre.

Waiting outside the building to start I was thinking I shouldn't work tonight because my back was already hurting and sitting at the Call Centre I knew it would hurt a lot more. You see I do the Big Issue because when my back hurts I just don't work and rest it because when I push it to hard then it get worst as I go.

But I knew I'd go in because I was being counted on to fill my shift and working here was a great opportunity. I walked in there with a big smile and started making my calls. About an hour later I couldn't sit any longer. I stood up and put the computer on break time and walked out holding my head down in disgrace. I didn't hate myself I hated my back because it has such limits while my mind wanted to work twice the hours. Now I can take medication to stop the pain but then I'd be no good to anyone. I can't think quickly or straight.

The sad thing was I was great at the job and got very good stats but there's days where I'm strong and can work many hours but there's days were I can't work any. But the good news is I'm getting stronger in time.

I texted Jess and said not to bring the things over because I wasn't working again. You see I kept thinking if I didn't have enough to pay rent I would have a lot more stuff to move around and hey I can tell you when you move around a lot it's less is better.

Jess called and we talked and next thing I know I'm writing a email to try and keep my job. First I wrote it then I sent it to Jess to fix it and make it look and sound better. (she's smart. Ha ha) The email looked a lot better.

A few minutes later Jess and Tim came with a boot load of things. I meet Tim for the first time and held my hand out to shake his. A big smile and shook my hand with a firm shake. I could tell straight away he was a really nice guy. (It's a guy thing. Ha ha and sorry girls he's married to a great lady. Ha ha) We talked and then they opened there boot and the first thing I noticed was that it was all new things. I thought I was getting things they didn't need around there house. Let me say I was overwhelmed that I was getting all these things after having such a bad night.

After getting it all into my room we spread it all on the bed so I could really see what I got. Now I not much for bragging, Who am I kidding I love to brag about things like this. Ha ha Here is two people that went to the stores and bought all these things so a guy can feel at home in a room at a lodge. Here's what I got and it's all new.

A kettle, plates, towels, face washers, a clock, 2 pillows, a duck feathered dona, all matching covers for the pillows and dona, a polar fleece blanket, clothes, tin food and tea bags. Let me just say this would have cost a fortune and Jess and Tim were getting it out of the goodness of there hearts. I can say I slept warm and with a great big smile last night. Ha ha.

I said I'd pay them for the things they got me, but no they didn't want the money back so I said the next best thing “When I get on my feet I'll give the same to another homeless person and 'Pay it forward'”

So to Jess and Tim I say Thank you and it means a lot to me that you did this not just because I got all these things but because I know there's people like you helping others.

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The funniest thing just happened. Here I am thinking of different things to write about, when a cockroach walked under my door and stop as soon as it seen me. I turned towards it and said “mate I don't have enough food for myself and if you think your staying here you have to pay your share of the rent” ha ha It turned around and left back under the door. Ha ha. Free loader. Ha ha

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For some time now I have been asked if people give me clothes would I hand them out. I have always said I'd be happy to. Well I spoke to some lovely people at Micah Projects – Brisbane Homelessness Service Centre and they said “If I can get them clothes they would give them to homeless people that really need them.

So here's my plan. On the 4th of May I'll be working my pitch on Queen St at the Post Office Square and if people would like to donate cloths I'll collect them and I'll take them to Micah Projects for you. So now I'm asking everyone to please look in the cupboards and all the cloths that are still in good condition that they don't want or need any more bring them in. I said there will be car loads coming. Ha ha.

I did ask what kind of things are most needed. Here it is.
Winter is coming so warm clothes.
Blankets or sleeping bags.
Nice dress cloths so people can look good to go on “Job Interviews” that ones a big one needed. Ha ha
Please not clothes that are ripped or have holes in them. The idea is to give them clothes to feel better about themselves not to make them think they are only worthy of rags.

I know myself that before my accident I had clothes I'd never wear and they just sat there in the cupboard. If you have that too then please bring them in and let others feel better about themselves wearing something nice. It really could give them that “I am better feeling”

So please don't forget 4th May I'll be waiting. Ha ha. There's plenty of time to look high and low.

Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you all have a great day.
If you like my writing then please tell others as I love to share. Ha ha Or if you would like to there's a Donation Box to make donations which I use for myself and helping homelessness.
Grant the Polite Guy.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Now I get a lot of emails from people in many countries and I love reading and replying to them all. But this one really shows that sometimes being nice to someone means you may be helping them more then you know.

Hey Grant,

Thanks for the birthday invite. Unfortunately , I will be away , but I hope you have a wonderful time.

Can I tell you how much your smiling face and that of the other vendors has meant to me?

When I started working in the city, four years ago, I had just divorced, was living with my parents ( at 42, that’s no fun) I was starting a new job and my darling only son had left to go and live with his father interstate. Apart from my family, I had lost contact with everyone in Brisbane as I had been away for over 20 years. I got really down, mainly because I was devastated to be without my boy.

Your smiling faces reading your stories, made me feel not so alone. I read that Mick from the Cathedral saved up to see his son interstate too and I didn’t feel so bad. He does it a lot tougher than me.
You guys and the nice man selling the Courier Mail across the way were the first people who smiled and said hello to me every day and you guys made a difference to me.

I eventually realized I needed help as when I looked at busses, I thought about going under them rather than catching them. So, anyway, four years (and okay a few anti-depressants later) I am much better, got my life back on track, off the pills and still enjoying a good, though long distance relationship with my son. I will introduce you to him some time when he’s visiting.

You guys often help us as much as we help you out. You just don’t realize it at the time.

Have a wonderful birthday, but I know I’ll see you before then.

Thanks and Best wishes,
Name withheld.

Good times and bad times come, but it's knowing you have friends that makes a difference. I am always happy to stop for a chat if anyone wants to talk about anything. The cost.. A smile from you at the end.

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Over the last few days I have been asking people to come to my Birthday Party and saying I'm launching my Mega-Site as well on the night. I was shocked at how many people didn't know what the mega-Site was. Even after I would ask them if they had read my blog lately. So I'll go into detail here about it then everyone can read it and know before the launch.

There's a Homepage and on that is 4 pages.
The first page is going to have my blog on it.

The second page is going to another blog written by Marieke de Laat on Depression and bipolar disorder.

The third page is going to be Homeless Information. On that page there's going to be all the information I can get on where Charities, Food Vans, Cheap Hostels and pretty much everything that can find to help homeless and people on low income or have a bad run with information on resources in there area.

The Fourth Page is going to be a forum for people to chat. This will have many uses as there's people who can give advice and really there's nothing better then knowing there's someone else out there going through the same thing. Really this page can help a lot e.g.
A mum looking for her run away son. Post a picture and have thousands looking for him.
Someone feels very down and wants to talk to someone.
You done a great thing that day and want to tell the world. Ha ha
The list is endless.

That's what will be in the Mega-Site and remember we are launching it at my Birthday Party on 28th April so it'll be great to have you come and say G'day.
It's at the Grand Central Hotel on Ann St below Central Railway Station. I'll be there from 3pm until late so if you have time quickly after work please drop by for a drink. I'll be wearing a nice shirt and tie just to look good. Ha ha.

To put as much information on the Information Page can I ask if people could find homeless helps in there area (no matter what Country) I'm looking for information on
Food vans.
Soup Kitchens.
Charities.
Hostels/ Lodges.
Churches that help the homeless.
Pretty much all that help homeless and people in need. Please send in an email to me on grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com

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I'd like to thank you all for reading my blogs and I'll be putting in funny stories in it very soon.
There's a Donation Button if you would like to donate for the stories and I do use it for me and other homeless people. I'd like to thank the 3 people who have. Thank You.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Oh I have to talk about my real first day working at the Call Centre. Ha ha.

It'd been raining hard most of the day so I wasn't working that much because when my magazines get wet they are no good to sell and really when that happens I've bought them and there thrown in the bin. At $2.50 each you learn not to get them wet. Ha ha So I mostly walked around the city talking to other Vendors and some homeless people just to say “Hi”. Some I would even tell about my new job working a few hours a night just so maybe they think they can do it to. Not so much working in a Call Centre but just working a job even if it's selling magazines to get started. I did and it worked. Ha ha.

I was outside waiting for 2:30pm to come along and then I'd go in and finish my training. All the time thinking I'm good with talking to people but on the phone I can't see the persons face or body language and it's not the same. What to do? I will say for about one minute I thought about just walking away thinking I'm not ready for this and I wouldn't want to disappoint the people there. Besides my back hurts after sitting down for to long. Now the good thing is that this only lasted about one minute. I started thinking of what I was before my accident and then what I have become and then what I can be in life. I don't know if others do this but I play uplifting music in my mind and start thinking I can do anything. Ha ha It don't last long the feeling but I went to work 10 minutes early with a big smile on my face. Ha ha

Getting there 3 of us were told to sit at booths where a computer and phone was and wait for someone to show us how to use them. I sat and through a window I noticed a lady smirking at me, well I'm good with the face to face thing so I stood up and walked over to her as she was walking towards me. She stopped and told the other 2 “He's famous” and smirked at me again. I start thinking she reads my blog. But then I noticed she was one of my customers. Ha ha Oh today was going to be so much better. We chatted for a minute then the guy came to show us what to do.

At 4pm our training had finished and fear started setting in. Oh-no they want me to start making calls that this computer tells me to call. Then the teacher guy say we can have a 20 minute break any-time we need one. As soon as he said that I was walking so fast that others must have thought I was heading to the toilets in a hurry, ha ha but no I walked straight pass the toilets and to the lifts and outside.

Oh I hate talking on the phone.
Now I help the homeless when I can and talk to them as a friend and always mention but not force about helping themselves. A guy I know walks to me and started talking about how my new job was going? Of course I said doing great and maybe he should think about finding something that he could do too. I talked for a minute then walked back up to the Call Centre as fast as I walked down. I sat dialed the number and then put on my headset. I thought if I dial first then I couldn't chicken out of it. The first call was easy because it was a nice old lady who was happy to talk. YES. Oh today was going to be a great day.

I had a couple of not so nice people but that didn't matter because my first one was already done and the rest were so much easier.

Towards the end of the shift my back was hurting from sitting down for to long but no-one could tell because I couldn't wipe the smile off because I was so happy I was able to do the job. I asked how I went and the boss guy looked at his computer and smiled and said look here your doing as good strike rate as most the others. I checked and yes I even did better then most.

If your homeless or just having a lot of bad luck and not working then let me say Starting a new job can be scary and you might think you can't. But if you think well I'll try it for the first day and not think of it then it may be easier.

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Now I know this may be wrong but I need to mention it.
I know some people are not buying my magazines because I have a room in a lodge and now I'm working a few hours a night in a Call Centre but please understand this. I need to make more sales to keep that room because of rent and the work at the Call Centre is paid fortnightly so I won't get that for another two weeks. So this is a plea. “Please buy my magazines over the next two weeks as I need to earn the money from selling my magazines to keep me going until I get paid from this job which won't be much because I only work a few hours a night.” If people choose to not buy my magazines any-more well I'll still say “good morning and have a nice day”

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When talking to people some still don't know what I'm doing with this new Mega-Site so I'll say it here again.
It's going to have a nice Homepage and then 4 pages on it.
1 My blog.

2 A blog written about depression and how to deal with it.

3 Homeless helps. This page will have information about Charities and Food Vans and lots of information about where help can be found everywhere not just Brisbane but all countries, all States, all towns. (any information you have in your area you could send would be of great help)

4 Forum. People and charities can talk each other. I'm sure there's lots of people wanting to help and Food Vans and things that need helpers.

This site is going to help homeless and people with low income with information and it'll give them a feel of knowing that there's help if they want it.

This will be launched at my birthday party on the 28th of April at the Central Railway hotel on Ann St from 3pm until late.

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Thank you for reading my blog and I hope you enjoyed it. There's the buttons at the bottom of this post if you want to share with your friends.

My email is grantthepoliteguy@gmail.com
I hope you all have a great day.
Grant the Polite guy.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Now this one is Karma at it's best. I was working and sold a magazine which the person only had a $20 note. I changed it and noticed another customer coming over to buy one. I quickly pulled another magazine out of my side bag and made the sale. A second after the second customer left I was looking for the $20 note but couldn't find it. While thinking I'm going mad because I was checking my pockets and everything I noticed a guy bend down to pick up a $20 note in the garden only a metre away from me. I said “I just dropped a $20 note I don't suppose you believe me when I say that's my note.” The guy did a half a laugh and walked off with my $20 note. The words finders keepers kept ringing through my mind.

Lease then a minute later a guy walks to me and says he found a $20 note that morning and thought I needed it more. I thanked him and he left and I went back to work. About 30 minutes later the guy who took my $20 note was talking to someone (wife I think) on the phone about getting a parking ticket and saying what a waste of money for being stupid. I believe in Karma because if you always try and do good then you'll always have good around you, But if your never trying to do good then bad will always be around you.

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I'm not enough sure were to start with this one. There's something I feel very strong about, but I don't want to course trouble or put the wrong message across. I'll just write it as I would say it.

Early Friday morning a homeless person was found at the bottom of the stairs near Post Office Square and the police investigated it and took the body away. Quickly before morning rush started. Like I understand that, there's no need for people to see that first thing in the morning.

A shop owner said to me that it was a dose of bad drugs and the police said it was maybe not an accident. There's a word starting s that means maybe foul play but I can't spell it sorry. Ha ha.

I asked Shop Owner's or really they asked me if I knew the guy. But all I could say is who was he as I didn't even see the body. I and others searched the news and police updates for information on this and there was nothing.

Now this reminds me of about 6 months ago (maybe more) when a guy dies above Central Railway Station and nothing about it in the news anywhere.

Here's the thing I'm trying to say. “A sports star urinates on a building it's front page of a paper, A person gets attacked and there's a man hunt to catch the attacker and it's all over the news. A homeless person dies by anything and it's what? Never happen.” People are people. The really sad thing is unless someone knows the homeless person then he/she will go in an unmarked grave and as I said they are cleared away quickly. Even if I knew his name I didn't see who it was to say who it is. It's not like saying oh that's Tom's house so it must be Tom.

I know this story is sad but let's face it, there's nothing funny here.

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Please know it's my birthday on the 28th of this month and I'm having a party at the Central Station Hotel on Ann st under the Central Station. I'm also launching my new mega-site as well. All are welcome and I look forward to meeting and talking to you all.

I don't know about enjoy but I hope you liked my stories, Please pass the on to other's as I love to share. There's the blue F button which shares with Facebook.

If you liked my stories and would like to help me to help the homeless then please donation with the donate button on top left.

I hope you all have a great day and remember homeless or not people are people.
Grant the Polite Guy.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Last week was so bad and yet the last few days have been so great I keep thinking life is so great. Let me start a few days back with Rob. Rob walks up to me and says “I’m going to give you $50 and I want you to ‘Pay it forward’” I didn’t understand at first then he said “give it out and help people and watch it come back to you” Now right away I said “I help people all the time I know I’ll give free magazines out” Then I thought no I can’t because that’s good today but some may think they will always get free magazines and complain to me or other vendors to get free magazines.

So how can I use this money to ‘Pay it forward’ Help someone and ask them to help others in return? I thought about just putting the money in my pocket and keeping it for rent but then I’d feel guilty because it wouldn’t be right. So in the end I thought the best way to use it is to get 10 $5 notes and I walked around and gave them to homeless people saying “I’m going to give you $5 to do a future good deed for someone and when you do ask them to do a good deed for someone else. Now I will say a few didn’t understand at first what I meant but was happy to take the $5. Now I did this for 9 people thinking the last one was for me and I’d do something for someone and ask them to do a good deed for someone else. But no it wasn’t meant to be. Ha ha. I was walking home and someone which I had bought food and drinks for in the past asked if I would be doing it again today. I handed him the $5 and ask him to do a good deed.

Rob was right “Pay it forward” helps people to think of others and in my book that’s great. I hope the people I gave the $5 to does do something good for someone else because it would come back many times over.

The next morning I was given $50 dollars tip towards my rent. (I’m not mentioning name as I’ve not asked permission to do so.) But I know she reads my blog so I’ll say this “Thank you very much because of your help it made it easier to pay the rent on Friday. I really hope something good comes to you and all the other people that bought my magazines or gave me a tip.”

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Now this I’m sure I wouldn’t be the only one to have a story like this. (I hope) ha ha.
There I was being a good guy and working selling my magazines. Ha ha. I stopped a lady and she bought a magazine and I went into the “Thank you and I hope you have a nice day” when she looked me into the eye’s and said “I think we went out about 15 years ago.” Then asked me if I’d been in? (Keeping that to myself) Oh my heart stopped there and then thinking very fast. Ha-ha I asked her to take her sunglasses off so I could see her face. Which she did, I looked and straight away I’m thinking oh no I’m in trouble, you see 15 years ago I traveled a lot and um meet a lot of ladies. I’m not saying I’m a stud but I am saying um 15 years ago was along time ago and I have a bad memory of most of it, like really what do you say to something like that. Say yes and it may not be true or say no and maybe look like I’m lying and won’t admit being with her and being a jerk if it’s true.

The truth is she looked like someone from my past but really I just didn’t know, like it was 15 years ago and let me say a lot has happened in that time. So I ask the only question that came to mind. “Was I polite?” with a smile, which she said “yes” now I’m really trying to think. Like this lady was beautiful and most guy’s would be proud to scream “YES” Ha-ha but I’m not like that if it wasn’t true. The fact was I really didn’t know. We chattered a bit for another minute and exchange numbers. I have often said “stay in one spot long enough you see the world but they come to you.”

If you read this then I want you to know I left things out so no-one would know it was you unless you want to tell them.

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Oh have I got great news. The mega-site is building well and will be ready for my birthday party on the 28th April at the pub under Central Railway Station on ann St after 3 until late and of course everyone is welcome. I’d love to meet everyone I’ve not meet and the ones I do know. Remember the only gift I want is a huge smile and a hand shake or maybe a kiss on the check (girls only) ha ha.

I got a JOB yes a job working a few hours a night on weeknight working for a call centre. Now this is a great start. A few hours turn into more hours and next thing you know I’ll be working full time again. Like let’s face it I’m a great guy to have around and once they get to know me they’ll never want me to leave. Ha ha. I know there’s going to be a lot of people want me to continue here with the work I’m doing with the homeless. Let me say “After really being one of them and going through everything that I’ll always help the homeless no-matter what I did for a job.

I paid my first weeks rent and really it felt great. Thank you to all that bought my magazines and tips.

Now the next bit I’m still a bit unsure about but I’m doing it. I have allowed someone to set up a Donation Box on my blog. It users Paypal so it’s safe. It’s so people can donate to my writing this blog and with the cost and with extra money I can help so many others including myself. I don’t want to sound like a bum asking for money so please if you don’t then really it’s all good. I do great work without it, but with a few donations I can help many others.

I hope you all have a great day and remember sometimes saying “hi” to someone at the right time could change someone’s life for the better. That ‘Pay it Forward’ works because really if people walk around thinking what’s something nice I can do for someone today could change someone’s view on life forever.

Have a great day and remember being polite cost nothing.
Grant the Polite Guy.

About Me

Hi I Grant the polite guy. I'm a big issue vendor that sells mags in the city. I spend most of my time saying "Have a nice day" to people that walk pass. I would see thousands of people a day and see alot of things that I am happy to share with you. If you stand in one spot long enough you'll see the world come to you.
I hope you enjoy the stories and have a nice day.